


A Stolen Moment

by Noxibus (RomanticNostalgia)



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, First Dance, Flirting, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, The Winter Palace (Dragon Age)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-11
Updated: 2016-09-11
Packaged: 2018-08-14 13:25:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,385
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8015689
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RomanticNostalgia/pseuds/Noxibus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A fluffy fic about pre romance Trevelyan and Cullen at the Winter Palace.  This is a fic about the infamous dance scene.</p>
<p>Please leave c/c you lovely people.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Stolen Moment

Opening the veranda doors he spies the Inquisitor gazing into the distance, her pale blonde hair falling in tendrils down her back from the elaborate nest of braids and twists atop her head. He gingerly closes the door behind him as silently as possible, muffling the click of the door handle with his hands as he releases the door knob. 

It fascinates him, the look that graces her face when she is thinking. It is a peaceful look, the corners of her mouth ease and her eyes drift up to the skies. It is rather captivating, he thinks. As much as he would like to stand there and stare at her like some slack-jawed fool, he decides that it would be easier for him to retain some shred of dignity if he were to actually say something.

“Inquisitor”, a grumble escapes his throat. “Our agents have rooted out all traces of the Venatori, and the Dutchess has been detained.” He paces closer to her. “Everyone is looking for you. Are you alright?”

As he leans on the balcony beside her, she gives him a look from the side of her eyes. A look that suggests a mixture of tiredness and feigned confidence.

‘’Yes, Commander. It has been a long night, yes?” She straightens herself up against the balcony. “I am unaccustomed to Orlesian politics I’m afraid. One would think that a woman from my background would be more prepared for something like this, but as I’m sure you know the game is not something that is taught in the Circle. My mother would be appalled.” Her chuckle is like music to his ears.

He couldn’t help but allow a chuckle of his own from escaping, “Indeed. Although I for one think you handled yourself well in there, and I’m sure our advisor is very relieved to have you leaving this place in one piece. I think the Inquisition is lucky that it is you that was playing the game tonight, god forbid Cassandra or I be placed in the court.”

She turns to him, her eyes narrowing into an expression which Cullen has come to associate with her more mischievous side. “Oh, I think that you’d do alright. I can’t have been the only one that saw the way those nobles flocked around you. You have a very particular charm.”

“Maker preserve me”, the back of his neck suddenly becomes very warm. “Who’d have known I’d be fodder for such deviants. I had someone trying to cart me off to marry their son.”

He manages to get a laugh from her, “Well, perhaps marriage would finally get you to take a rest from that pile of paperwork that you seem so fond of. I can’t imagine you in a mask.” turning to sit on the barrier she signs, “I don’t know about you but my bed in Skyhold is calling to me. I just want to leave this place.”

Taking a step closer to his Inquisitor, he captures her gaze. “Tonight hasn’t been all bad. I got to see you dance.”

“Ah yes,” she puts a hand up to cover her face as she chuckles, her face is generating an uncanny amount of heat. It must be the wine, she reckons. “It’s been a long since I danced-since I was a girl actually. I hope I didn’t make too much of a fool out of myself in there.”

“Not at all, in fact, I was hoping you could show me a thing or two.” He extends his hand to her, and his eyes meet hers as she stares at him through her eyelashes. He can feel his knees tremble, some would laugh at the fact that a seasoned military commander would be rendered so lovesick by something like this, but life works in strange ways. “You asked me for a dance earlier, and now that we have a moment I would like to take you up on your offer, Inquisitor.”

“I thought you didn’t dance,” she looks up at her commander with a soft smirk, and electric eyes.

“For the leader of the Inquisiton, I might just try it this once.”

“Well in that case,” she rises, and takes his hands in her. A rush of light-headedness passes through her, but she isn’t one to let something like that stop her from having a moment of indulgence. “You had better start calling me Cerelle.”

His bashful smile never ceased to make her heart flutter.

She pulls herself closer to him, her eyes meeting his chest. “Have you ever danced the waltz?” glancing up she catches his eyes looking down on her, “It’s fairly straightforward.”

“I have, although the last time I tried I was very young and the poor girl ended up with a bruised toe.”

“I see,” she chuckled. “Think of dancing like you’re fighting with a sword. Think of the footwork, I know for a fact Commander that you are far from clumsy. At least when you have a blade in your hand.”

“If I have to call you Cerelle then you have to call me Cullen, “ he laughed. “Perhaps you can make a dancer of me yet.”

The pair stepped from one side to the other, Cullen stepping gingerly around the Cerelle’s feet and stepping somewhat out of time. As the moments passed his confidence grew, and he was able to keep up with her pace.

Some time had passed and the pair continues to Waltz on the balcony, as time were standing still. The crisp night air clung to their skin and the gentle weeping of the violas from the ballroom could be heard from outside from behind the closed doors.

They were quiet, for a time; silently enjoying the company and embrace of one another . Cerelle felt slight in his arms, he felt like he dwarfed her and took great care to hold her gently. This seemed ridiculous to Cullen in his mind, a woman that seemed so untouchable could break from his feeble touch. Nevertheless he maintained a gentle, but firm grasp at the small of her back.

Cerelle allowed her head to rest against Cullen’s chest, he radiated a warmth that make her chest flutter. She hadn’t noticed up until now how tall he was, he could easily use her as a headrest right now, however he didn’t. Ever the gentleman he was.

“It’s nice, to forget. Even for just a moment. Isn’t it?” Cullen was startled out of his daze, “It seems that all I can ever think about it the situation that we’re in with Corypheus, and the blighted tears in the sky. I can manage, but sometimes I forget what peace feels like.”

He looked down into her eyes, a wistful expression graced her features as she looked into his.

“Sometimes I forget what it felt like to not have the feeling of impending doom hounding me all hours of the day.” the Commander sighed as his eyes made a gentle roll.

Cerelle released herself from his form and returned to the position in which he found her: gazing out from the balcony. “One day, when this is all over, I promise that we will all be able to have an early retirement, and grow soft and fat. For as long as I live, peace will be restored. I don’t know when, but soon. Soon we can be free of this nightmare. That is a promise, Cullen.”

“When that day comes, I may have to request another dance.”

“If that’s the case Commander, you will most certainly have to start calling me Cerelle more often.” Returning to his side, she places a hand on his shoulder. “Thank you Cullen, for this. We should perhaps dance again, before this is over I mean.”

“I would be happy to oblige, Cerelle.”

She gives him a sweet smile, and returns to the Ballroom, leaving Cullen to consider everything that has been said between them on this balcony.

He decides that no matter what, if defeating Corypheus at least earns him a dance with with that woman, that he must do everything in his power to protect her.

If it means earning just one more stolen moment with her, he will gladly face down the demon army and stick the pointy end of a sword into Corypheus’ head himself.


End file.
